XJ Electrical problems

[Rosie]

OK, i've been having some strange electrical problems and can't really nut them out. I have an on-going headlight problem and now my accessories are playing up.

This arvo i decided to go for a cruise down the beach and a play for the hell of it. Jumped in the Jeep, started it up and turned on the GPS and a few seconds later all my accessories died. Stereo, UHF, GPS, Air-Locker & compressor, cigarette lighter, the whole lot. Turns out it blew a fuse so i threw another one in (20A this time) but now i still don't have anything.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance, Ben

[Staffy]

Has it blown the new fuse straight away?

it might be a intermittent short? It might be now on all the time.

You could check out the wiring of your "non Jeep accessories" if they were installed by yourself.. Otherwise a Auto electrician could be the answer. (I have had a problem with the rear tail lights problem ended up being in the wiring behind the headlight in the front of the vehicle) so the fault might not be that easy to find....

Also upping the fuse size could also do more damage than good. (I guess if you go high enough look for where the wiring is burning

[hillsjeep]

What was the ongoing headlight problem? The headlight switches sometimes fail especially if you have upgraded the globes. Check the short is not in there.

[Rosie]

Staffy: I meant to add that the fuse hasn't blown since the first time but i still have no accessories. That's the bit that has me stumped.

HillsJeep: Rodge and I just replaced the switch on the weekend but for some reason they were playing up again then. That's a minor prob at the moment in relation to losing all my other stuff.

Ben

[Staffy]

Hmm,

Fuse still loaded but no accessories sounds like a couple of options.

You might have open circuit wiring between the fuse and the first appliance that is not working on the circuit - this could happen if you had a short to earth and it blew the wire apart.

It could be a bad earth - but with so many accessories not working I would not imagine it would be this. but you never know

Thirdly you might have a accessories "pulling down" the voltage of the circuit not allowing the other accessories enough juice to fire up.

You will need a multi meter to test the accessories. Firstly check one to make sure you have 12 volts. Then you will just need to check each accessories (start with the easiest . (Also if you put the meter to ohms you can check the negative cable to the body of the car should indicate a short cct 0.00 ohms or near enough).

If you do not have 12 volts you might even have to go back to the fuse box and make sure the wiring is ok then you might even end up having to wire a new wire to the first accessory. If you do not have 12 volts (i.e < 10 volts on the cct) you will need to find the faulty accessory and disconnect it. If the accessorys have a bad negative find the reason for that....

Hope my crash course if fault finding helps

[fisher]

He has a volt meter and 2 brand new batteries so I'm sure he'd have over 12 volts.
Maybe check the fuses for the immobiliser, my one had some random inline fuses which screwed everything up when they blew. They were hidden up behind the dash inside a massive loom of wires. It was a huge P.I.T.A

[Blujeep]

check those huge multi-pin plugs under the dash too.